1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the delivery of large quantities of pressurized gas stored in cylinders and, more particularly, to a pressurized gas handling system employing a vehicle carrying large numbers of such cylinders from a base station to a customer use location.
2. Prior Art
The referenced Pallet Patent discloses a pallet for receiving, retaining and facilitating the transportation of pressurized gas cylinders. Such pallets are utilized for loading and off-loading cylinders from transport vehicles, and for the transportation of one or more pressurized gas cylinders from place to place.
While prior proposals have utilized pallets of the type described in the Pallet Patent to handle and transport pressurized gas cylinders, prior proposals have not adequately addressed the need to handle large numbers of pressurized gas cylinders in a highly efficient fashion to effect rapid loading of a transport vehicle with pallets, manifolding the cylinders together to provide one or a plurality of large volume sources of pressurized gas, and off-loading the pallets for cylinder recharging when required. The prior art has not adequately addressed the need for means to speedily secure such pallets to a vehicle and release them therefrom. Nor has the prior art adequately addressed the need for a means to connect pallet-carried cylinders to gas delivery piping carried on a transport vehicle in a manner which provides both speedy hookup and release, as well as providing an arrangement which is so configured as to avoid interference as pallets are moved onto and off of the transport vehicle.
3. The Referenced Applications
Preferably the vehicle of the present invention is used in cooperation with the pallet construction described in the referenced Pallet Case. Preferably the cylinders carried on such pallets are secured in place by the retaining system described in the referenced Banding Case.